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| English Version at the Bottom |
Patuloy ang labanan buong araw. Tumitigil lamang ito sa gabi upang makapagpahinga ang mga hayop upang sa susunod na araw ang may lakas sila upang ipatuloy ang pakikipaglaban.
Ngunit may isang hayop ang hindi niya malaman kung saan siya papanig. Ito ay si Paniki. Palibhasa hindi niya kasi malaman kung mahahanay ba siya na isang mabangis na hayop o di kaya’y ibon. Ayaw niyang kumampi sa matatalo kung kaya’t ang ginawa niya ay nagmasid-masid muna ito sa di kalayuan at pinanood ang nagaganap na labanan. Nang sumapit ang hapon at nakita niya na lumalamang ang mga ibon laban sa mga mababangis na hayop ay dali-dali itong lumapit sa kampo ng mga ibon at nakihalubilo.
Nakita ng mga ibon si Paniki at tinanong siya kung bakit siya asa kanilang kampo samantalang isa naman daw siyang mabangis na hayop. Mabilis na pinabulaan ni Paniki na siya as isang mabangis na hayop; siya raw ay isang ibon. Hindi nga ba’t meron din daw siyang mga pakpak tulad nila. Nakumbinsi niya ang mga ibon at siya ay isinama sa kanilang pagdiriwang.
Kinabukasan ay ganoon ulit ang ginawa ni Paniki. Nanatili siya sa isang mataas na puno at nagmasid-masid ulit muna ito at inantay kung sino ang mukhang nananalo. Dahil lumamang naman sa pagkakataong iyon ang mga mababangis na hayop, sa kanila lumapit si Paniki.
Masayang nakihalubilo si Paniki sa mga mababangis na hayop. Ngunit tulad din ng mga ibon, tinanong nila kung bakit siya nasa kanilang kampo samantalang isa siya sa mga kaaway. Pinabulaanang muli ito ni Paniki. Isa daw siyang mabangis na hayop dahil tulad nila meron din siyang matatalim na mga pangil. Ang mga ibon ay wala nga namang mga pangil tulad nila kaya isinama din nila ito sa pagdiriwang.
Araw-araw ay ganoon nga ang ginawa ng tusong si Paniki. Natutuwa siya sa husay ng kanyang naisip. Hayaan na lang daw na mapagod ang mga mababangis na hayop at ibon sa pakikipaglaban basta sa kampo ng panalo siya sasama; hagikgik nito. Nanonood nga muna ito at saka lang bumaba sa nananalong grupo.
Isang araw, napagod na ang mga diwata sa away ng mga mababangis na hayop at mga ibon. Ipinatawag nila ang mga ito at pinagkasundo. Nagtalaga sila ng mga dibisyon kung saan maninirahan ang bawat hayop. Sa wakas ay natapos din ang matagal na labanan.
Nagsisipag-uwian na ang mga mababangis na hayop at ibon sa kanikanilang itinalagang mga lugar nang makita nila si Paniki. Dahil sa nakita nila at nalaman ang ginawa nitong pagpapalit-palit ng panig sa nananalong kampo, wala sa mga ito ang may gustong kasama siya sa kanilang pangkat. Pinagtabuyan ng mga mababangis na hayop at ng mga ibon ang kawawang si Paniki.
Simula noon ay hindi na nga nakikihalubilo si Paniki sa kahit anong hayop. Dahil sa hiya, tuwing gabi na lamang ito mag-isang lumilipad upang humanap ng kanyang makakain.
A long time ago when the world was still young, a huge argument ensued between the wild animals and the birds. They argued on who was rightful to live in the rich forest. Both groups would not back down and insisted that they should be the only one in the forest. Because of that, both groups quarreled and fighting occurred. The surviving group would be handed the right to live in the forest.
Legend of the Bat
The fighting went on the whole day. They would stop at night only to rest and get ready for another day of combat.
There was one animal, however, who didn’t know with whom to side. This animal was bat. He didn’t know whether to classify himself as a wild animal or a bird. He also didn’t like siding with the loosing camp. He devised a plan and stayed from a far observing the fight. When he saw that the camp of the birds were gaining ground, he quickly went over to their side.
The birds saw bat and asked what he was doing in their camp; he was a wild animal they said. Bat quickly rebutted this saying he was one of them. He had wings just like them he insisted. He was able to convince the birds and they let him join their celebration.
The following day, bat did just that. He stayed on top of a tall tree and observed and waited on who was winning. That day, the wild animal gained ground so bat went to them.
Bat happily joined the wild animals in their celebration. However, they asked why he was with them when he was a bird. But again, bat denied being a bird and showed them his fangs which he says proves that he was a wild animal. They were convinced since birds didn’t have fangs afterall.
This was what bat did every single say. He was happy that he had thought of it. He would let the wild animals and the birds do all the fighting until they get tired and then he would just side with whoever was winning. He thought of himself as very clever.
Soon the fairies grew tired of all the fighting. They called upon all wild animals and birds and had them make up. The fairies divided the forest so that both would have somewhere to live. At last, the war between the wild animals and the birds was over.
The wild animals and the birds were on their way to their new homes when they saw bat. They knew what he was doing changing sides with whoever was winning. They didn’t want him in their camp. They pushed him away from their group and would not let him near them.
From then on, bat never socialized with any animal. He was ashamed with what he had done. Because of that, he now looks for his food alone at night so nobody can see him.
Researched and Rewritten by Lovedy
Translated and Formatted by Daniel Andrei Garcia
